I was told today that you cannot print a table of text lengthwise on an 11x17 foldout--like a Playboy playmate foldout. Instead you have to break the table into two regular 8.5 x 11s so that the reader doesn't have to turn the book or binder to read the information--we wouldn't want to inconvenience the government proposal evaluator. My opinion is this is just a myth and is not written down as a rule. If the information is better displayed lengthwise without breaking it into two, what does it matter if the reader has to rotate the book or binder 90 degrees to read it. Back in the day, I certainly wasn't inconvenienced to turn a Playboy magazine to see the whole picture--wouldn't make sense to cut the bunny in two.

If you think this is a rule, please tell me where I may find it in writing. Else, I will continue to say that it is just a myth. Sometimes you need to color outside the lines.

Second...I don't really have a clue but hopefully, you will get more responses as the day wears on...but...that said, I suspect that it's more a practical consideration in terms of actually printing a book with a fold out--not quite sure how a publisher would handle the signatures unless the foldout were placed "outside" the standard pages of the book, at its beginning or end.

With respect to both to not being inconveninced by turning Playboy and not cutting a bunny in two, I think it's a matter of how interested one in in the information--picture or otherwise...'-}}

Second...I don't really have a clue but hopefully, you will get more responses as the day wears on...but...that said, I suspect that it's more a practical consideration in terms of actually printing a book with a fold out--not quite sure how a publisher would handle the signatures unless the foldout were placed "outside" the standard pages of the book, at its beginning or end.

With respect to both to not being inconveninced by turning Playboy and not cutting a bunny in two, I think it's a matter of how interested one in in the information--picture or otherwise...'-}}

Terrie

Thanks, Terrie. The final format is a three-ring binder. Modern printers have no problem printing and collating foldouts. Folding is a manual process (two-folds to make into 8.5 x 11 size). I still think the "rule" is a myth. I need an actual quote out of a reputable style manual to even consider staying within the lines. )

As for the information interest between a bunny and a table of text--well, a picture is worth a thousand words.

If this is a Proposal, various federal agencies have submission guidelines that that must be followed for the proposal to be considered: stuff like type size, line spacing, maximum word/page count, page size, margins, etc. I worked on a bunch of proposals to the DoD in the 80s, but I suspect any specifics I remember would have changed by now.

Not only don't I remember a "rule" like you are asking about, but I specifically remember creating charts and illustrations that require the document to be turned.